We first discovered Jordan Barker at this year’s Artexpo New York, where his vibrant energy and undeniable talent immediately stood out. His passion for creating and sharing his art is infectious, and his work carries a rare blend of originality and approachability.
Meet the artist who’s capturing hearts and sparking conversations — Jordan Barker.
ABN: Introduce yourself — who you are and what your vision as an artist is
Jordan Barker: I’m Jordan Barker, a self-taught mixed media artist and entrepreneur. I discovered my artistic talent during Covid at a time when we were forced into isolation. It was then that I realized how important touch is to human connection, which is why I started painting with a lot of texture to reintroduce the sensations of touch back into my life. My vision as an artist is to bridge the gap between emotion and material — to create pieces that you don’t just look at but feel. Through layering and texture, I want my work to remind people of the power of presence, even in moments of quiet chaos. And YES, they can touch the artwork!!
ABN: What is your background?
JB: I come from an entrepreneurial background, which has always pushed me to build things from the ground up and follow my instincts. I didn’t go to art school, and I don’t know how to draw — my education came from experimentation and curiosity. During Covid, I began layering different materials and mediums as a form of mindfulness and discovered that art could be a language for what I was feeling. Since then, I’ve developed a large body of abstract, textural works that have been featured on NY1, Yahoo! Finance, The Knockturnal, and Fractyll Magazine and private collections across the U.S.
ABN: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work?
JB: My philosophy is that creation should be a practice of presence. Every piece I make is an exercise in letting go of control, overcoming self-doubt, and trusting the creative process. I allow the materials to guide me and I see the act of layering as symbolic: it mirrors how we build emotional depth as people. That mindset keeps my work grounded and meditative, even when the surface looks chaotic or raw.
ABN: What artist(s) inspire you?
JB: Initially I would say that no artists inspire me as my work comes from within, but I recently had the pleasure of visiting Robert Nava’s studio and speaking with him about his creative process. Entering his space was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in the art world. The sheer magnitude of his paintings and intricacies in the details of how he uses different materials, brush strokes, and even depth of colors was mind blowing. His work is playful and elementary, yet highly complex at the same time and his backstory is even more inspiring. Since meeting with him, I have been motivated to start incorporating more oils into my paintings, which I absolutely love.
ABN: What is the best advice you’ve received?
JB: The best advice I’ve received is to keep creating even when it doesn’t make sense yet. Early on, I used to overthink what each piece “should” be, but I’ve learned that consistency and trust in your process reveal the meaning over time. That lesson has shaped both my art and how I move through life.
ABN: When you are not working, where can we find you?
JB: When I’m not in the studio, you can usually find me working on my other passion, commercial real estate. I love networking, raising capital for real estate investments, and also helping
ABN: What have you done recently that enhanced you as an artist?
JB: Recently, I’ve been experimenting with oils. I love both the fluidity of oil sticks as well as the depth of color. Using oils has forced me to think more about the placement of paint as it takes much longer to dry than acrylic and aerosol. In addition, I’ve been working with a lot more interior designers and architects who not only like my work, but also appreciate the presentation of it which consists of staged photos, timelapse videos of the creation of each piece and high-quality videos of the paintings allowing the customer to view the depth and texture that otherwise can’t be seen in a photograph.
ABN: Tell us about 2025 and beyond? Where will your creativity take you?
JB: 2025 has been a GREAT year! I’ve not only expanded my body of work but also garnered several celebrity collectors and followers. My social media presence continues to grow and because of that, I have been selling more artwork and gaining the attention of art dealers, interior designers, and collectors. As I continue down this path, I am excited to see what doors this opens as I continue to create work that reminds people to slow down, touch, and feel — in every sense of the word.
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Jordan Barker is an entrepreneur and self-taught mixed media artist. It was during Covid when we were forced into isolation, that Jordan realized how important touch is to the human connection. By layering different materials and mediums on canvases, Jordan began what is now an extensive body of large-scale abstract expressionist-style pieces. He was inspired to create art as a way to reintroduce these textures and sensations back into his life, which provided him with a sense of presence and calm amidst what felt like quiet chaos. Each piece of art is a practice of mindfulness that Jordan couldn’t achieve in any other way during this long period of isolation.
Jordan has since created what is now an impressive body of work, with pieces already incorporated into a number of private collections around New York City. Jordan also has a passion for giving back and has invested in and advised several startups with social missions he currently is on the Advisory Counsel for the Citizen’s Committee for New York City.
https://www.instagram.com/jordanbarkerart/
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